Solbidyum Wars Saga 9: At What Price Read Online Free PDF Page A

saying?”
    “Well, the most obvious thing they notice is the change in your hair.  Your hair used to be red and now it’s completely white, much sooner than such a change would occur with any other humanoid in the Federation and, as it seems, any other Earth human that was rescued from the Mars and Lunar outcamps.  A lot of people are attributing it to the sustained stress you’re under as leader of the military.  But sir, they’re noticing other things as well.”
    “Like?”
    “Well, sir, you’re starting to get wrinkles and bags around your eyes for one.”
    “Is that all?” I asked.
    “Well, I notice mental differences when your treatments from A’Lappe start to wear off, of course, but I don’t think anyone else does.  At least, I’ve never heard anyone comment on it.”
    “That’s good.  The last thing I need is for word to get back to the Senate that anyone suspects I suffer from some sort of infirmity.”
    “At this point I don’t think it would matter.  They’re entirely dependent on you now and you would need to be brain dead before they would let you go.”
    I almost started laughing, but we were interrupted by the beeping of my comlink.  I sighed and answered, “Tibby here.”
    “Sir,” the voice of Corporeal Neider addressed me.  “There’s a message for you from First Citizen Kalana asking that I remind you of your dinner engagement with her late this afternoon at TEZU LAGONG.  She wishes for you to return to your estate so that the two of you may travel to the club together.”
    I smiled and replied, “Thank you Corporeal, please inform Kalana that I will be there shortly.”
    I turned to Marranalis and said, “Well, Admiral, I will leave you to take care of the matters we discussed.  Let us hope that this Krossden individual has some information we can use to bring an end to this war.”
    It had been over twenty years since Kala and I had dined at TEZU LAGONG.  On that occasion an ambush had been laid out for us and we had escaped.  I hoped that this time events would play out differently.  We had received word that Celpar, the maître d’ of TEZU LAGONG, was about to retire and that it was his greatest wish that Kala and I would visit the club so that he might introduce us to his successor and say goodbye.  The TEZU LAGONG Dinner Club was considered to be one of the finest, if not the best, restaurant night clubs in the Federation.  It was next to impossible to get reservations there and only the most famous and influential people were granted admission.  For his final day at TEZU LAGONG Celpar invited his favorite patrons to dine there one last time under his stewardship for a farewell celebration at the expense of the club. 
    I was concerned about our attendance at the event.  Just as it was the first time, TEZU LAGONG was the ideal place for a Brotherhood attack.  Hence, I ordered our military branches to set up extra security in the vicinity.  The FSO and FOI also increased their security and surveillance operations in the area; but as far as we could determine, the Brotherhood was showing no interest in the event.  Perhaps the Brotherhood didn’t see it as a viable target, as the large number of high-profile attendees warranted an impressive escalation in security measures, including a dedicated Cantolla Gate for passage between the Central Gate Station and a gate just outside the elaborately designed TEZU LAGONG entrance.  Heavy security surrounded the gate, but there was sufficient room for a crowd of gawkers to gather as the celebrities and public figures arrived and made their way into the exclusive club.  It reminded me of the award ceremony red carpet events back on Earth, where throngs of onlookers and reporters would squeeze themselves shoulder to shoulder and as close as possible to the front where they could get the best view their favorite stars.
    An event like this could not be passed up by the media and, just like on Earth, they were provided